Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-05-25

But when we shall enter the portals
Of the jasper walled Eden, / know
We shall learn why the idols were shattered,
That we cherished so fondly below.
Haymaking.
It is not uncommon for farmers to
make serious mistakes in answer to
the question when to NOW, aud it is
safe to say that nine times out of ten
they err in moving too late. When
the bloom is on the majority ofplants
is the correct time to NOW, thus the
sweet, nutritious qualities Of the herb
age are ensured, and the crop is Sc
cured at its highest value. About this
time the butterCup or ranunculous
will be shedding it's leaves, and thered
clover flowers will be at their full,
while the smaller white clovers will be
coming into bloom. Hay got at this
stage, if well harvested. is good for
every kind of animal, and the less it
is heated in the stack the better. Over
heated hay causes more injury to an
imals than the stock keeper dreams of.
Equally injurious is over-ripened
grass, and scarcely one good end is at
tanned by delaying the cutting. Even
extra quantity cannot always be de-
pended upon. Ii a showery time pre-
walls certainly extra bulk may
be reckoned on; but if, ON the
contrary, dry, hot time set in
the bents already ripened die away,
and the under grass makes but poor
show. In any case, Over-matured
grass loses much of its valuable fat
tening and nutritious qualities. The
stems become woody and indigestible,
while the seeds are left on the after
math, having been either beaten out
by the wind before the machine COM
menced its work Or knocked out in
the ordinary process of making the
hay. Again, the aftermath is rem
dered far less valuable in the late cut
meadows than when the crops are
mown at the proper time. The ergot
fungus that abounds in the grasses in
wet seasons, and which proves so pro-
ductive of abortion in COWS or mares
is avoided by cutting early, as the
spur has not had time to mature; but
in the late cut grass this spur is ripe,
and is gathered in with the hay to be
dealt out to animals in the winter
season, when they are not over nice
as to what they take.
AS to the curing of the hay it is not
necessary to enter into details, though
to the beginner one or two hints may
not be altogether out place. Unjust
be understood that even IN fine wealth
er hay may be partially spoiled, either
by allowing it to lie too long exposed
to the sun, or by cart ing it too soon.
The secret OF making good hay IS to
keep it moving, so that under the &C.
ton of the sun it dries of a uniform
pale green color; and if it be fairly
made this color will to considerable
extent be retained Id the stack. The
delicious odor In the hay field too will
adhere to the fodder as it is dealt out
to the hungry stock in winter. Grass
that is cut and only occasionally turn
ed is longer in making, more risk also
being run of rain failing, and while the
outsides are burnt up the insides are
only just made. Again without we'll
working hay about some wet locks are
almost sure to escape the action of the
sun and wind; and mould is bound to
result.
An excess of sap in plants will cause
the stack to heat, and the hay will. to
use q common expression, "die good
COLOR" but if an atom of rain or dew
be on the hay when carried, mould
will follow and the hay will 'die
white"
AS regards the moving machine it
is necessary to observe two Or three
things. First, keep the knives sharp.
as the delay in changing q knife every
hour or so, and the extra labor in
sharpening, is we'll repaid. A dull
knife does it's work badly, works the
poor horses fearfully hard, and as
finale, usually breaks some part of
the machine. In the moving machine
nothing must be allowed to get out of
order, not even to the breadth of a
hair, Or it will lead to a breakage
later on. The ear of the driver will
detect in the change from the merry
jingle of the different parts when any
thing is wrong, and if he be wise will
promptly seek out the cause, and so
save time and the expense Of repairs
later on. OF course the horses must
be often changed, and the machine
kept well oiled.
In spite Of ali the instruction that
can be given, however, beginners will
make mistakes, no matter how thor
oughly they may be posted as to the
theory of haymaking. To be thor
oughly successful in this branch of his
business the farmer must not only
know how to manipulate his grass
and judge accurately when it is sufi.
GENTLY cured to warrant him in trans
ferring it to the NOW or stack, but he
must also be enough of weather
prophet to take advantage of every
hour of sunshine, especially if he hap
pens to fall upon catching weather"
during the period of hay harvest
Rusticus, in Practical Farmer.